Junta isolates Chin State’s Paletwa 

By Admin 15 Nov 2023

DMG Newsroom
15 November 2023, Paletwa

Myanmar’s military regime has isolated Chin State’s Paletwa Township following fierce fighting with the Arakan Army (AA) there, according to local residents.

The regime has blockaded roads and waterways and also barred people from entering or leaving the town, said locals. The regime blockaded the Paletwa-Kyauktaw waterway, which serves as the key route for Paletwa’s trade with Kyauktaw.

The regime has tightened security in Paletwa town after the AA attacked hilltop junta outposts in Paletwa Township on Tuesday.

“We can’t leave the town. I saw junta deployments on hills in the town,” said a female Paletwa resident.

Food prices have nearly doubled in Paletwa town following the blockade. A sack of low quality rice has increased from 60,000 kyats to 100,000 kyats, and the prices of other basic foodstuffs have also soared.

“Prices have almost doubled in Paletwa after the Kyauktaw-Paletwa route was blockaded. We will face greater hardships if the routes are closed for long,” said another female resident.

Paletwa residents are heavily reliant on Kyauktaw for food and medicines, and residents are concerned about shortages following the blockade.

The AA has been attacking two regime tactical commands in Paletwa Township, and the regime is defending with air and artillery support, the Three Brotherhood Alliance said on Tuesday.

The regime claimed that its two tactical commands successfully repulsed the AA’s attacks, and the Arakanese ethnic armed group suffered heavy casualties.

Local residents were forced to flee their homes on Wednesday as fighting between the junta’s tactical commands and the AA continued near Taronain Village.

At least four civilians were reportedly killed and five others were injured in Taronain Village by junta air and artillery strikes.

The renewed fighting broke out on Monday with the AA attacking border guard police outposts in Cheinkalein and Donpaik villages in Rathedaung Township. The AA attacked the junta’s hilltop outposts in Paletwa Township on Tuesday.